Chapter 6

Her mother wanted to raise her as a human.

At least, that was what Lily recalled. The last memory of her mother was the night she’d tried to steal Lily away.

The King—the prince’s father, who had long since retired—decreed that all half-blooded children must be declared vampires. As such, they would never be allowed East of Silvercity. They would never associate with human children—never go to simple schools, never live simple lives. Lily remembered the fight between them—her father, with rage in his eyes, and her mother, whose face she still couldn’t recall.

"I can’t change the laws, Joanne. But I can take you to the king," her father was saying. "I can have you turned. We can all stay together as a family—"

"As vampires," her mother spat back. "I am not a vampire, Francis. I am a human, and your daughter is like me. She deserves a life beyond these walls."